Chatbots, voice assistants, blockchain, and big data. These are some of the technologies to watch in 2018. Assoprovider analyzes each of the new technological trends, explaining why you cannot afford to ignore them.

It's like jumping onto a moving train. Those who follow new technologies know how quickly things change., even in a very short time.

Entrepreneurs, whether small or large, must be adept at keeping up with tech developments and integrating new technologies into their businesses wherever possible.

In 2018, many new developments await us, including the emergence of new players and the consolidation of others. Assoprovider, always attentive to the future and experimentation, recommends five technologies that you must monitor very closely if you don't want to miss the train!

Data wins

The "data war" has characterized the web business in recent years. The success of large high-tech companies, such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, is due to their ability to gather more data than others.

Other companies will also need to be able to capture user data and leverage it to fully customize their offerings. This is the challenge for entrepreneurs. Another battleground is information privacy, which concerns us all.

Why not allow each user to earn from the personal data they release on the Internet, which today represents the true asset of online companies?

The advancement of chatbots

It seems like science fiction, but it is already a reality. There are software programs that interact with humans, make reservations for them, offer advice on hotels or travel, assist them in transferring money, and help organize events or meetings.

Chatbots are virtual assistants that are changing the future of companies. Many entrepreneurial entities have already incorporated them into their business strategy.

What are they for? Essentially, they serve one main purpose. The first is to increase interaction with consumers and save resources and time. It is no coincidence that many of their applications are specifically aimed at customer service.

New technologies: the end of passwords

For years, there has been talk of the death of passwords, and 2018 should be the year in which they will gradually begin to disappear.  New technologies will increasingly establish themselves, such as authentication tools and facial or iris recognition systems.

But there will also be other parameters that will be taken into consideration by biometric recognition systems, such as heartbeat.

In some regions, progress is being made swiftly on this front. The Garante per la protezione dei dati personali has issued a measure granting permission to the Consorzio per il Sistema Informativo (CSI) Piemonte to implement an authentication method based on facial recognition and voice for the online delivery of payslips. Here is the article from Sole24Ore  for further information.

Blockchain, the new decentralized network

Recently, the press has given a lot of attention to the topic of cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, the digital currencies used to exchange goods and services on the Internet. Whether cryptocurrencies will succeed in the future remains to be seen, while the future of blockchain is assured.

What is blockchain? It is the peer-to-peer network on which bitcoin exchanges take place. To understand what it is, you must imagine an infinite database where everyone can verify data exchanges that occur in real time.

Blockchain has already permeated various sectors, such as finance, and there is no field in which it cannot be utilized.: healthcare, publishing, energy, real estate, are just some of the most promising sectors in this regard.

What are the benefits? There are many: one above all, the fact that the system is decentralized, meaning there are no controllers or intermediaries. Everyone can verify every operation, and this increases trust among the Network participants.

More voice and fewer fingers

It is a trend that has been consolidating for some time and will continue its march this year: that of voice assistants. According to some market surveys, by 2020 half of online searches will be conducted by voice and 30% of these on devices that will no longer have a screen.

Therefore, we will increasingly get used to asking virtual assistants through voice (the same chatbots we have already discussed above) to perform operations for us.

This is a trend related to mobility. Smartphones are now the main means we use to access the Internet, and voice is a tool to enhance the browsing experience while on the move.

Are there other technological trends that you imagine might take over in the coming year? Write to us and we will discuss the topic.